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Monday, 29 August 2016

Last week I gave you a Bank Holiday Special, this week it's a Non-League Day Special.

Yes, it's that time of year when we at TLFG do our utmost to celebrate the semi-professional and amateur game and encourage you to check out your local team if you're not a regular already.

To reduce the temptation to go elsewhere, the Non-League Day team (i.e. me and a handful of other dedicated volunteers around the country) schedule the event to coincide with an international break so that there are no Premier League or Championship games to contend with. We also pick a day that England aren't playing on either so we can maximise our publicity.

If you really can't bear the thought of supporting the lower levels of the game with some of your hard-earned cash (fair enough), then there are a couple of League One games, a legends match and some women's football but I'm not going to give you any more details - you'll have to hunt them out on the match maps below.

Wealdstone are among the clubs hoping to welcome you on Non-League Day

Our charity fanfunder for Prostate Cancer UKis hovering around the £2,600 mark. A spectacular star prize of match tickets and accommodation to watch a Barcelona match at the Nou Camp have been added this week - it could be yours in return for a donation of just £10.

If you're a Chelsea fan there are some great signed books by Gianluca Vialli and if you're a 5-a-side footballer, there are places available in a special tournament at England's St George's Park facility (£250 for a squad of eight). There's also some exclusive NLD merchandise too.

Please take a look and if this blog has been of use to you, I'd really appreciate it if you could put a pound or two PCUK's way. Just to clarify - all profits will go to the charity, none of it will go to me or NLD in any way.

If you do want to take part in Non-League Day but don't know where to go or what to see, here's my list of recommendations:

TLFG'S NON-LEAGUE DAY TOP 10

1. Dagenham & Redbridge v Boreham Wood - in terms of league status this is the game of the day in London as two local clubs meet for this derby in the top division of the non-league pyramid. The Daggers have just returned to non-league football after several years in League One and Two while the visitors are one of the minnows of the division and did brilliantly to survive their first season in the fifth tier last year. A real David and Goliath contest. (National League, 3pm Ticket info)

2. Dartford v Maidenhead United - the Darts welcome leaders Maidenhead who have exploded out of the blocks with six wins out of seven. The hosts have ploughed a lot of time and effort into this year's NLD with events for kids getting underway at 10am. It's also free for U16s to attend the match, family tickets are available for £15 while season-ticket holders from any other club will get in for just £5. (National League South, 3pm Ticket info)

3. Wealdstone v Poole Town - over in Ruislip the Stones are also throwing their full weight behind NLD in the hope of getting a mammoth crowd for this match between two play-off hopefuls. It's just £5 for adults (normally £13) and you might get to see the legendary Wealdstone Raider too. It's also £3 for U18s and free for U16s. With those prices and the effort they've put into marketing it, they'll be hoping for a four-figure crowd. (National League South, 3pm, Ticket info)

4. St Albans City v Hampton & Richmond Borough - normally I wouldn't include this game as the Saints play just outside TLFG's catchment area to the north of London but they're playing one of our clubs and are also making a real effort to get a big crowd. They are reducing admission prices for everyone and offering further discounts to kids and season-ticket holders of other clubs. They will also be raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK and I'm advised there will be more announcements later in the week about other things they're doing - oh yes and this is the match I'm currently scheduled to be attending so maybe see you there. On paper it also looks like a cracker as it's third versus second - huge! UPDATE - former England striker and current QPR Director of Football Les Ferdinand will be guest of honour (National League South, 3pm, Ticket info)

5. Clapton v FC Romania - although they play several divisions below some of the clubs above, this game could well attract one of the highest attendances of the day in London. I attended Clapton's match against Ilford on NLD last year which pulled in nearly 800 people which is almost unheard of for clubs in the ninth tier. If you've not heard of them, the Tons are one of the oldest clubs in London and play at the city's oldest ground. The Old Spotted Dog is a place all football fans should visit to see it in all its ramshackle glory. The Clapton Ultras (politically left wing) who pack out the ground these days are fairly new on the scene and some people have their reservations but they generate a fantastic atmosphere and are regularly told off for the use of flares (naughty). Given their pro-migrant and pro-refugee views, a match against FC Romania (who are made up almost exclusively of expats) is one of the highlights of their season. There's talk of getting more than 1,000 on Saturday which would surely break some record. UPDATE - some discounts have now been announced so please see the club's website for details (Essex Senior League, 3pm, Club info)

6. Hanwell Town v Enfield Town - there are also several FA Cup ties on Saturday and if I was picking some for Match Of The Day I would go for those where the underdog hosts a bigger club that they could conceivably beat. This game definitely fits that criteria. The Geordies, from the eighth tier, went two rounds further than this last year and played in front of then FA chairman Greg Dyke on last season's NLD. Enfield play a level above, have a significant fanbase and were among the favourites for the Ryman League title at the start of the season. However, they've flattered to deceive so far with one win in six so could be there for the taking. (FA Cup First Qualifying Round, 3pm, Club info)

7. Sun Sports v Hayes & Yeading United - this is one of the biggest games in the Sun's historyas it marks the Watford club's first appearance at this stage of the competition. When I started NLD in 2010, Hayes were in what is now the National League but they sold their ground soon after and have been groundsharing at various places until a few weeks ago when they finally came home. They've dropped two divisions since 2010 and are in pretty poor shape on the pitch again this season. The hosts hail from the ninth tier so are massive underdogs on paper but the talk on their website appears bullish and anything could happen. (FA Cup First Qualifying Round, 3pm, Club info)

8. VCD Athletic v Kingstonian - this all-Ryman League tie is also flashing the word 'cupset' at me. Both these sides were in the Ryman Premier a couple of years ago but VCD, who to be fair were punching above their weight, came back down after a brief stint. Neither side have started well this time round but the K's have begun winning again and will be dangerous. (FA Cup First Qualifying Round, 3pm, Club info)

9. Tooting & Mitcham United v Horsham - the Terrors have begun well and are yet to lose. A win on Monday at Corinthian Casuals would actually have put them top but they drew 3-3. The visitors are still finding their way in the division after winning promotion from the Southern Combination so will start as underdogs. TMU charge only £5 to armed forces and emergency service personnel, students, the unemployed and season-ticket holders from any other club other than their opponents on the day. It's also £1 for U16s and free if accompanied by an adult. (Ryman League Division 1 South, 3pm, Ticket info)

10. Cray Valley PM v Croydon @3pm - it's third versus first in this exciting looking clash in the Southern Counties East League and I hope it gets a bumper crowd. CVPM are always happy to help the NLD cause and this year they're offering £5 entry to season-ticket holders or members from any other team and free entry to armed forces and emergency services personnel. (Southern Counties East League Premier Division, 3pm, Club info)

I have heard from some clubs that news of their plans are still to be finalised so further information could be added as the week goes on

----------------------------------------------------------------------------UPDATE - 01/09/16 (@1755)
Several clubs have announced their NLD plans since Monday so here's the info:

Aveley - the Ryman League side have announced half-price admission for season-ticket holders from other clubs for the visit of Wroxham (Club info)

Haringey Borough - it's FA Cup time at Coles Park where regular NLD supporters Haringey host Witham Town, they are also slashing admission prices to just £3 for adults and then giving the lot to Prostate Cancer UK. Awesome! (Club info)Phoenix Sports - it's Pay What You Want for their Ryman League game against Brentwood and all money from programme sales will be given to charity (Club info)

Erith & Belvedere - the Deres welcome partner charity Sands to their match against Whitstable who will be doing some awareness work and fundraising (Club info)West Essex - the Essex Senior League new boys have made their game against Barkingside 'Pay What You Want' (Club info)

Hillingdon Borough - I've had it confirmed in a tweet that the club will be giving all gate receipts to Prostate Cancer UK for their Spartan South Midlands League game against Langford (Club info)

THE REST OF THE WEEK

Despite there being an international break there are still well over 60 matches in the London area over the next week.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed - something which often happens at this time of year. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Tuesday 30 AugustCheckatrade Trophy - previously known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, the competition has received a controversial revamp which allows the top clubs' U23 sides to enter and play against League One and League Two first teams much to the dismay of many of the clubs and fans involved. It begins this week with meagre attendances predicted, as a result most clubs are charging nominal admission prices of around £10 to get in.

AFC Wimbledon v Swansea City U23 @745pm - the Dons are so against the new format that they are actively encouraging their fans not to attend this match so you might have the place to yourselfCharlton Athletic v Southampton U23 @745pm - the Saints' academy is famous for producing great players (e.g. Gareth Bale) so they should be a good test for the AddicksMillwall v West Bromwich Albion U23 @745pm - one of the goals of this competition is to toughen up the youngsters and prepare them for first-team football, a night at the Den should leave an impressionLeyton Orient v Stevenage @745pm - the only genuine tie of the night, from the purists' point of view, is this all-League Two encounter at the Matchroom Stadium

Combined Counties LeagueRaynes Park Vale v Colliers Wood United @745pm - Tuesday night sees our first A3 derby of the season, neither have started their Premier Division campaigns spectacularly so will want to winChessington & Hook United v Epsom Athletic @745pm - in the division below we have a groundshare derby to look forward to

Spartan South Midlands LeagueWembley v Cockfosters @745pm - locked together with several teams on six points, a win could propel either side into the upper echelons of the table

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Wednesday 31 AugustEssex Senior League

Sporting Bengal United v Tower Hamlets @745pm - it wasn't hard to pick the Mile End derby between these two groundsharers as game of the day

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Thursday 1 SeptemberFA Women's Super League 1Chelsea v Notts County @730pm - the Blues are second in the league but a whopping 10 points behind Manchester City - however, they have two games in hand so must win here against one of the league's also-rans

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Friday 2 SeptemberSouthern Counties East LeagueErith Town v Fisher @745pm - get your Non-League Day weekend underway with a south-east London derby down at VCD Athletic's groundThe Wembley Cup @730pm - to be honest I've read and re-read the blurb describing what this event is all about and I still don't get it - essentially there will be some legends and some people from YouTube kicking Xboxes around for charity at Wembley Stadium. Well I think football's involved somewhere - you'll have to find out for yourself because I can't fathom it.

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Sunday, 21 August 2016

Greetings one and all and welcome to the August Bank Holiday special edition of TLFG.

If you thought last week's football menu was extensive and tasty, then you'll be left drooling by what's on offer this time.

Not only are there over 130 games taking place, many of them are derbies and on the Bank Holiday (29 August) the Combined Counties League are starting most of their games at 1130am meaning you can see at least two games in a day.

And that's not all - for the first time ever we have a guest ground review from reader Nick Willis who took the time and effort to produce a piece on his trip to AFC Wimbledon as they played their first home game in League One against Bolton Wanderers last weekend.

Also, there's only 13 days until this year's Non-League Day which is keeping me incredibly busy alongside this blog.

By the middle of the week we should get final confirmation of all the day's fixtures following the FA Cup replays so keep checking the map on our site to see what's on come the 3rd September.

If you want to see and hear what I've got to say then watch this short film

Our charity fanfunder for Prostate Cancer UKis now up and running and we're getting close to £2,000. As with all such pages, there's an obligatory video which I make an appearance in alongside the likes of far greater football luminaries like Les Ferdinand, Gianluca Vialli, Matt Elliott and Guillem Balague.

All have donated rewards and prizes which you can buy or bid for and there's also some exclusive NLD merchandise too. Please take a look and if this blog has been of use to you, I'd really appreciate it if you could put a pound or two PCUK's way. Just to clarify - all profits will go to the charity, none of it will go to me or NLD in any way.

That's enough from me, enjoy your week and let me know what you've been up to. Now over to Nick and AFC Wimbledon...

GUEST GROUND REVIEW: AFC WIMBLEDON

by Nick Willis

AFC Wimbledon were promoted via the playoffs in May 2016 to
League One (the third tier of English football), their sixth promotion in 14
years. ​The feel­good factor from the League Two play-off win still hangs in
the air, and I was keen to see this occasion at Kingsmeadow.

Bolton find themselves in League One after relegation from
the Championship, and presumably fixtures like these represent something of a
novelty given some of the grounds they are used to seeing their team play at in
recent years.

I travel by train to Norbiton station and then walk for 10
minutes through a tidy looking residential area until arriving at the Cambridge
Road, passing a cafe and a fish and chip shop, both full of supporters. The
ground is situated down a small side road, just past the row of shops. It is
not a ground that one sees coming from miles around (though I suppose this
could be different on a night fixture, with the floodlights turned on).

The grand entrance to AFC Wimbledon's Kingsmeadow home

The ground (official name the Cherry Red Records Stadium)
was leased by local club Kingstonian until 2003, when AFC Wimbledon took it
over. It has undergone quite a few changes since then. The Chemflow end ­
formerly the Tempest end ­ had a roof installed and the John Green stand became
seated, while access was improved for away fans as well.

Away fans are mainly housed in a section of the newly
renamed RyGas stand, a partially covered shallow­roofed terrace that runs along
the sideline of the pitch opposite the main stand. Some away fans are also
seated in a small area of the adjacent John Green stand. There are around 800
tickets available for away fans, and presumably these are likely to be sold out
quickly against League One opposition this season.

Many supporters are proudly wearing the latest iteration of
the Dons' replica kit, an attractive, round­collared, electric blue number with
canary yellow trim. There is lots of yellow and blue on show in general, with
some supporters opting for shirts that date back to the Premiership era, and
some inevitably sporting the 1988 FA Cup winning shirt. A few are bravely
wearing the Dons’ third kit ­ and it’s not for the faint­hearted ­ of
alternating vertical stripes of pea green and swamp green. One supporter
wearing this shirt assures me that despite the garish colour combination, the
shirt is viewed with affection ­ the team achieved some important results at
the end of last season while wearing it.

There was a turnout of 4,600 for this game, which is nearly
a sell­out. Tickets to Wimbledon’s home games are going to be hard to come by
this season ­ the programme informs us that 3,100 season tickets have been
sold. Once up to 800 away fans have been subtracted, it doesn’t leave many
tickets in a ground of 4,800 capacity.

Pre kick­-off I talk to Dennis, in his late forties, with a
Van Halen haircut, who has travelled over from Berne in Switzerland with a
group of friends to watch Brighton & Hove Albion and AFC Wimbledon.

He is particularly knowledgeable about English football, and
is very interested in the wording of the chants going on around him. He seems
upset when he is told that Adebayo Akinfenwa is not at the club anymore. That a
middle­aged man from Switzerland would know who was playing upfront for a then
fourth­tier English football club is evidence of the broad international appeal
of the English game.

The ChemFlow end I am stood in, behind the goal furthest
from the Cambridge Road, is by a stretch the noisiest in the ground. The area
of this stand directly behind the goal is seemingly responsible for the generation
of most of the chanting. The roof that covers the stand does a decent job in
amplifying the sound out on to the pitch.

Nick's friends enjoy some refreshment despite a disappointing result

Wimbledon don’t seem to have any real bitter local rivalry.
When asked, people might murmur about ‘Palace’, and there are a couple of
chants about Chelsea, but most of the real feeling is reserved for a team that
moved to Milton Keynes. There is no need to go into the history of this here as
I’m sure most readers will be aware of the story, but safe to say that AFC
Wimbledon’s supporters have not forgotten about that decision to move their
club to a new town in Buckinghamshire.

The toilets for the Chemflow end are a small outhouse near
to the exit. There is one door in and out, and by the time I get there after
half­time, there is a sizeable queue. There is an even bigger queue for the
‘Gourmet Burger’ stand positioned at the corner of the Chemflow and main stand.
Even though the burgers that people are holding with sheets of kitchen tissue
paper look better quality than the average football ground fare, I decide it
will take too long to queue and head back to the stand.

With the game over, a large number of fans meet in one of
the three bars positioned under the main stand. The atmosphere is genuinely
convivial, which is something of a surprise given that the home team have just
lost (Bolton come back from a goal down to beat AFCW 2­1). There are groups of
friends catching up with each other over a post­match pint, some watching the
late kick­off Premier League fixture, some spilling out on to the outdoor area
in front of the bars, enjoying the afternoon sun.

As well as Nick's fine review, our good friends at 'Two Men In Search...' have also put up their latest piece about a visit to QPR so you're really spoilt this week.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are well over 100 matches in the London area over the next week thanks in part to all the extra Bank Holiday games.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed - something which often happens at this time of year. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 22 AugustPremier League 2West Ham United v Newcastle United @7pm - the Hammers' U23 side play the first of their games at Dagenham & Redbridge who they will groundshare with for most of this season's games

Essex Senior LeagueTower Hamlets v Ilford @745pm - staying on the east side of town, we've got a derby at the Mile End Stadium between sides looking to bounce back from FA Cup defeats at the weekend

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Tuesday 23 AugustEFL Cup

Chelsea v Bristol Rovers @745pm - having failed to qualify for Europe, the Blues enter a round earlier than normal and host League One opposition, tickets are availableCrystal Palace v Blackpool @745pm - on paper the Eagles have an even more beatable opponent in the form of the Seasiders from League Two, tickets are also available which is rare for non-membersWatford v Gillingham @745pm - it's Premier League against League One here too, although it might not be the most enticing fixture it is a great way to get on the Hornets' ticket database so you can qualify for bigger games in future

FA Cup Preliminary Round ReplaysThamesmead Town v Guernsey @745pm - the Green Lions travel to the mainland after the sides fought out a 2-2 draw on Saturday in what was the first ever FA Cup tie played in the Channel IslandsWalton & Hersham v Greenwich Borough @745pm - the Swans did well to hold Greenwich, from the division above, on Saturday so will hope to go one better hereHarefield United v Wembley @745pm - as above, Harefield did well to draw at higher ranked opposition in the original game and will want to make the most of their second chance here

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Wednesday 24 AugustEFL Cup

Fulham v Middlesbrough @745pm - the Cottagers take on Premier League new boys Boro and it's only £15 to get in

FA Cup Preliminary Round ReplaysCroydon v VCD Athletic @745pm - the Trams have a chance of causing a cupset at the Croydon Arena as they welcome a Ryman League outiftColliers Wood United v Banstead Athletic @730pm - the hosts should have too much for Banstead but anything's possible at this stage of the competition

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Thursday 25 AugustEuropa LeagueWest Ham United v Astra Giurgiu @745pm - after drawing the first leg in Romania, the Hammers should be favourites to progress but they came unstuck against Astra last year so won't take anything for granted

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Friday 26 AugustPremier League 2Arsenal v Liverpool @7pm - it may only be the U23s in action but it's a great way to see a game at the Emirates Stadium and at a fraction of the cost but please bear in mind that tickets must be bought in advance

Combined Counties LeagueColliers Wood United v Epsom & Ewell @730pm - the best non-league option of the night sees two sides from south-west London duel at the Wibbandune

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Saturday 27 AugustPremier LeagueTottenham Hotspur v Liverpool @1230pm - two of the big boys meet in the televised lunchtime kick-off in a game that doesn't really need any sellingWatford v Arsenal @3pm - the Hornets continue their ridiculously tough run of Premier League games with this derby against the Gunners

EFLBrentford v Sheffield Wednesday @3pm - with two wins and two defeats, the Bees will be happy enough with their form as they prepare to welcome one of the favourites for promotionCharlton Athletic v Bolton Wanderers @3pm - these sides suffered relegation together last season but have both begun life in League One well, a top-five clashLeyton Orient v Mansfield Town @3pm - the O's started their League Two campaign well last season but fell away, again they've got off to a good start but will they be able to keep it going...

National LeagueDagenham & Redbridge v Wrexham @3pm - the Daggers dropped out of the Football League at the end of last season but have raced out of the blocks and are second only to former second-tier club Tranmere at the time of writingWealdstone v Hampton & Richmond Borough @3pm - in the southern section of the league, new boys Hampton seem to have made a pretty seamless transition from Ryman League football and should be confident heading into this derby against the Stones who are also looking good

Ryman LeagueStaines Town v Kingstonian @3pm - it is very early days but of our local teams, Staines are the pick of the bunch in the Premier Division and they should feel confident of beating the K's who have had a bit of a shocker so farPhoenix Sports v Heybridge Swifts @3pm - in Division 1 North, Phoenix are the early pacesetters having scored a spectacular nine goals over the course of their two games thus farTooting & Mitcham United v Dorking Wanderers @3pm - this top-six clash at the well appointed Imperial Fields looks like the match of the day in Division 1 South

Spartan South Midlands LeagueOxhey Jets v London Colney @3pm - the hosts have won two of their three opening games and they'll need to be at their best as they welcome the only team in the Premier Division with a 100% record

Combined Counties LeagueAC London v Cobham @3pm - not much is floating my boat in the Premier Division but this game between two of the top four in the division below looks decent

----------------------------------------------------------------------Sunday 28 AugustFA Women's Super LeagueLondon Bees v Aston Villa @2pm - with nothing else on, this is a great chance to catch some women's football at Barnet's ground

-----------------------------------------------------------------------Monday 29 AugustNational LeagueSutton United v Dagenham & Redbridge @3pm - it wasn't hard to pick this one as both sides are currently in the top three and it's also a derbyHampton & Richmond Borough v Dartford @3pm - Boro will look to continue their great start against the Darts who have only lost one of their first five

Ryman LeagueHendon v Dulwich Hamlet @3pm - the London contingent, often among the powerhouses of the Premier Division, have made a slow start and both of these will want to start building some momentumVCD Athletic v Phoenix Sports @3pm - in Division 1 North we have possibly the closest derby in the whole league, you can sometimes hear what's going on at the other ground if they're playing at the same timeCorinthian Casuals v Tooting & Mitcham United @3pm - at the time of writing these sides are in the top six in Division 1 South and it's another derby too

Combined Counties LeagueBedfont Sports v Bedfont & Feltham @1130am - it's derby day in the CCL and these clubs are even closer than VCD and Phoenix, they are literally next to each otherChertsey Town v Abbey Rangers @1pm - the Chertsey/Addlestone derby between two sides who were several divisions apart until recentlyBanstead Athletic v AC London @1130am - a groundshare derby between sides in Division 1's top five

Southern Counties East LeagueCrockenhill v Orpington @3pm - a derby featuring sides in the top six of Division 1FC Elmstead v Holmesdale @3pm - elsewhere in the division we have a groundshare derby near Bromley

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Sunday, 14 August 2016

It seemed there were quite a few games on as it took far longer than normal to put the match map together.

When I totted them up I found we have a whopping 109 to choose from!

We've got Premier League, EFL, National League, Ryman League and loads of exciting looking FA Cup ties as the competition reaches its second round or 'Preliminary Round' to give it its official name.

I've tried to keep the 'Daily Digest' below as concise as possible and as a result I've definitely missed a few good games off so make sure you have a good look round the match maps to see if there's anything you'd prefer.

I've been starved of live football again this week as the build up to Non-League Day continues.

For someone who is heavily involved in football and writes about it in his spare time, the amount I actually get to watch is staggeringly low. That's why I rely so much on other bloggers and writers to do the ground reviews and visits that sometimes appear here.

As I mentioned last week, there were several ground openings taking place and I would've dearly liked to go to at least one - Fisher, Hayes & Yeading United and Hendon apologies for not getting down but hopefully a few people will have read about proceedings here and gone along. Let me know if you did.

Lastly this week, there's just time for another plug for Non-League Day (NLD). Scarily there's less than three weeks to go now and there still feels like there's a lot to do - it always does at this stage.

If you want to see and hear what I've got to say then watch this short film

Our charity fanfunder for Prostate Cancer UKis now up and running and we're getting close to our first £1,000. As with all such pages, there's an obligatory video which I make an appearance in alongside the likes of far greater football luminaries like Les Ferdinand, Gianluca Vialli, Matt Elliott and Guillem Balague.

All have donated rewards and prizes which you can buy or bid for and there's also some exclusive NLD merchandise too. Please take a look and if this blog has been of use to you, I'd really appreciate it if you could put a pound or two PCUK's way. Just to clarify - all profits will go to the charity, none of it will go to me or NLD in any way.

This time next week we'll have almost finalised all the fixtures taking place on the day. There are loads of confirmed games all over the country already so have a look at our match map and see what takes your fancy.

That's enough from me, enjoy your week and let me know what you've been up to.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are well over 100 matches in the London area over the next week as the season gets into full swing.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed - something which often happens at this time of year. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 15 AugustPremier LeagueChelsea v West Ham United @8pm - a cracking London derby to get the season underway for these two

Premier League 2Fulham v Blackburn Rovers @7pm - just a short walk from Stamford Bridge we have this U23 game at Craven Cottage where it's only £3 to get in

Ryman LeagueKingstonian v Hendon @745pm - both of these teams lost on opening day so will be looking for an instant recovery

Essex Senior LeagueBarkingside v Redbridge @745pm - east London derby between sides who used to groundshare

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Tuesday 16 AugustEFL

Brentford v Nottingham Forest @745pm - with a win and a loss apiece, this Championship match looks like being pretty evenAFC Wimbledon v Scunthorpe United @745pm - the Dons have struggled in their first two games in League One and it's not likely to get much easier against the IronBarnet v Blackpool @745pm - the Bees have made a solid start and should fancy themselves against their troubled visitiors

National LeagueBoreham Wood v Tranmere Rovers @745pm - we're only three games in but this is a top-two clash thanks to minnows Boreham Wood getting off to a sensational start

Ryman LeagueDulwich Hamlet v Enfield Town @745pm - both have gone close to getting promoted over the last couple of seasons and that's why they're among the favourites to win the title this time

Grays Athletic v AFC Sudbury @745pm - now fan-owned, the Gravelmen host newly promoted Sudbury in their first home match of the season

Combined Counties LeagueBedfont Sports v Hanworth Villa @745pm - the visitors have made a good start to the season and come into this derby as joint leaders

Southern Counties East LeagueCroydon v Beckenham Town @745pm - there's also a local derby on the south side of town between sides who live very much in the shadow of Crystal Palace

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Friday 19 AugustFA Cup Preliminary RoundAveley v AFC Hornchurch @745pm - what better way to start a weekend of football watching than an Essex derby in the FA Cup

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Saturday 20 AugustPremier LeagueTottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace @3pm - both made unremarkable starts to the season on Saturday and will hope for better in this derbyWatford v Chelsea @3pm - the Hornets managed to draw both games against the Blues last season and I'm sure they'll be more than happy with another point here

EFLFulham v Cardiff City @3pm - the Cottagers have got off to a flyer, winning all three of their games so will look to push on against the BluebirdsQueens Park Rangers v Preston North End @3pm - QPR have fared even better and are top of the Championship on goal difference at the time of writingMillwall v Sheffield United @3pm - according to bookmakers, these clubs are ranked as the two most likely to win the League One title this season so it's a biggie

National LeagueSutton United v Macclesfield Town @3pm - newly promoted to the division, the U's welcome former third-tier team Macclesfield for a game which could propel one of them into the top five

Ryman LeagueWingate & Finchley v Hendon @3pm - the other north London derby, more of a North Circular derby if you will

FA Cup Preliminary RoundSporting Bengal United v Clapton @3pm - after seeing off London Bari in the opening round, the Tons have landed a derby against another local rival over in Mile EndSun Sports v Northwood @3pm - the hosts play in Watford so if you can't get a ticket for the Chelsea game, this derby is well worth a look at insteadWembley v Harefield United @3pm - if there's a chance of seeing an FA Cup tie at Wembley and you've never been to Vale Farm before, one should never pass it up

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Sunday 21 AugustPremier LeagueWest Ham United v Bournemouth @4pm - the first ever top flight game to be played at the Hammers' new home

FA Cup Preliminary RoundCray Valley PM v Hastings United @3pm - a short walk from the historic Eltham Palace, where Henry VIII spent time as a youngster, you'll find yourself able to enjoy a game in possibly the most historic cup competition in the worldRomford v Hullbridge Sports @3pm - if shopping's more your thing, you could combine this match with a trip to the mammoth Lakeside Shopping Centre which is just yards away

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GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Sunday, 7 August 2016

Hi there. How are you? Welcome along to this week's TLFG ahead of another week which is bursting at the seams with great games.

Over the last few days, we've seen several competitions including the EFL and FA Cup get cracking while the week ahead sees the opening games in the Premier League, EFL Cup and, the one you've all been waiting for, the Ryman League.

I heard from several readers who had huge weekends of groundhopping ahead of them with trips to Craven Cottage, the Den, Loftus Road and Wembley all crammed in - I hope you enjoyed yourselves as there were some fine games on offer.

The opportunities to 'hop' aren't quite so great this weekend but a match a day from Friday to Sunday is possible if you can somehow source a ticket for the Arsenal v Liverpool game which dominates the schedule.

For those of you who enjoy being there at important moments, a number of clubs are celebrating first games at new stadiums or at higher levels over the coming days.

In League One, AFC Wimbledon play their first home game in the third tier. Having only been founded in 2002 and starting in the ninth tier, they've climbed the divisions at an impressive rate. On Saturday they welcome Bolton Wanderers who were a Premier League side as recently as 2012.

Elsewhere, non-league sides Hendon and Fisher both begin life at new grounds.

After several years on the road, the Greens return to a refurbished Silver Jubilee Park which is a bit closer to Hendon than their historic home at Claremont Road which they lost several years ago. Newly promoted Worthing are the visitors for a Ryman League game.

On the south-east side of town, Fisher make an eagerly anticipated homecoming to Rotherhithe after several seasons groundsharing at Dulwich Hamlet. The Fish are the descendants of Fisher Athletic who played in the Conference at one point and were still in the Conference South when the money ran out in 2009. They play Rochester United at new ground Salter Road in the Southern Counties East League. You are all warmly invited to both of the above.

One or two other teams (e.g. Walton Casuals and Brimsdown) have been on the move over the summer and will be beginning new groundshares, while we're still waiting to hear when Hayes & Yeading United will be allowed to play a competitive game at their new stadium (on the site of Yeading's old ground). A friendly against Hendon went ahead there last week and it looks impressive but there's still a bit more work to do.

Lastly this week, there's just time for another plug for Non-League Day (NLD). There's less than four weeks to go now and there still feels like there's a lot to do - it always does at this stage.

If you want to see and hear what I've got to say then watch this short film

On Saturday we launched, with the help of Tifosy, our charity crowdfunder for Prostate Cancer UK. As with all crowdfunding pages, there's an obligatory video which I make an appearance in alongside the likes of far greater football luminaries like Les Ferdinand, Gianluca Vialli, Matt Elliott and Guillem Balague. All have donated rewards and prizes which you can buy or bid for and there's also some exclusive NLD merchandise too. Please take a look and if this blog has been of use to you, I'd really appreciate it if you could put a pound or two PCUK's way. Just to clarify - all profits will go to the charity, none of it will go to me or NLD in any way.

That's enough from me, enjoy your week and let me know what you've been up to.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are almost 90 matches in the London area over the next week as pre-season starts to wind down and the competitive stuff gets into full swing.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed - something which often happens at this time of year. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 8 AugustNational League SouthWealdstone v St Albans City @745pm - bit of a derby feel to this one as the Stones host opponents from just outside the M25

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round ReplaySutton Common Rovers v Erith Town @745pm - after an entertaining 2-2 draw on Saturday, these two meet again on the 3G pitch at Sutton United

Tuesday 9 AugustEFL Cup First Round

Leyton Orient v Fulham @745pm - the EFL Cup gets underway on Tuesday and the draw has given us two decent crosstown derbies, the first being this one at the Matchroom StadiumBarnet v Millwall @8pm - it's north versus south-east in the other one up at The Hive

National League SouthHampton & Richmond Borough v Eastbourne Borough @745pm - Hampton host their first NLS match at the Beveree since promotion against a side who also won on opening day

Southern League Division 1 CentralAshford Town (Middlesex) v Marlow @745pm - both sides enjoyed fine wins on Saturday and come into this game in the Southern League Division 1 Central's top three

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round ReplaysAFC Hayes v Abingdon United @745pm - after grinding out a 0-0 draw on Saturday, these two have another goSun Sports v London Tigers @745pm - used to playing each other in the Spartan South Midlands League, these two rivals produced a 1-1 draw in the initial tie

Wednesday 10 AugustEFL Cup First Round

Queens Park Rangers v Swindon Town @745pm - playing a division above their opponents, the R's should start as favourites but are a notoriously poor cup team

Essex Senior LeagueBarkingside v Tower Hamlets @745pm - if you'd prefer a bit of non-league football instead, you could try this derby on the east side of town

Friday 12 AugustPremier League 2 (Division 1)Arsenal U23 v Reading U23 @7pm - the brand new competition for the top clubs' youngsters and reserves begins on Friday night with this match at Boreham Wood

Saturday 13 AugustPremier LeagueCrystal Palace v West Bromwich Albion @3pm - after nearly three months of waiting, the Premier League finally returns to London with this offering at Selhurst Park

ChampionshipBrentford v Ipswich Town @3pm - after a disappointing start at Huddersfield, the Bees will look to bounce back against the Tractor Boys who smashed four past Barnsley in their first match

League OneAFC Wimbledon v Bolton Wanderers @3pm - the Dons face former Premier League side Bolton in their first home match following promotion to League One

League TwoBarnet v Accrington Stanley @3pm - the Bees face a tricky first home game against opponents who made the play-offs last season and started well again on Saturday

Ryman League Premier DivisionHendon v Worthing @3pm - be part of history and join the Greens as they play the first competitive game at their new ground against the newly promoted Rebels

Southern Counties East League Premier DivisionFisher v Rochester United @3pm - if you can't get to Hendon, there's a new ground opening at Salter Road too as the Fish make their long-awaited return to Rotherhithe

Sunday 14 AugustPremier LeagueArsenal v Liverpool @4pm - two of the giants of English football go head-to-head in what is undoubtedly the standout fixture of the opening weekend

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

About Me

I'm a QPR fan and follower of Harrow Borough in the Isthmian League.
In 2010 I set up Non-League Day to help promote semi-professional and grassroots football. I'm hoping that TLFG will help provide a similar boost for football clubs around the capital.
I also worked at BBC Sport for 10 years before it relocated to Salford but decided not to go, such was my love of London.